Battery terminal clamp

ABSTRACT

A battery terminal clamp for storage batteries comprising a bifurcated clamping body portion having a substantially circular opening therethrough, said battery terminal clamp having means thereon for clamping said battery terminal about a battery terminal post in such a manner that substantially the entire clamping body portion yields and uniformly engages a battery terminal post when said battery terminal is tightened on a battery terminal post.

[ June 12, 1973 BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP 2,347,168 4/1944 Beckman 339/229C are e B aege t, 12 h and Elm D123,589 11/1940 339/230 R Street,Coffeyville, Kans. 67337 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS July 27, 1971899,272 8/1944 France 339/230 R Appl 166A Primary Examiner-Joseph H.McGlynn AnorneyLuke A. Mattare, James W. Dent and John 339/230 R,339/278 C F. Smith H0lr 11/26 Field ofSearch..................339/224240, 278 [57] ABSTRACT A battery terminalclamp for storage batteries compris- United States Patent i 1 Haegert[76] Inventor:

22 Filed:

ing a bifurcated clamping body portion having a substantially circularopening therethrough, said battery terminal clamp having means thereonfor clamping said battery terminal about a battery terminal post in sucha manner that substantially the entire clamping body portion yields anduniformly engages a battery terminal post when said battery terminal istightened on a battery terminal post.

339/230 R 339/229 339/230 R 339/227 339/230 R 21 Claims, 10 DrawingFigures 1,421,355 6/1922 Walker....... 1,596,891 8/1926 Rensch 2,156,0134/1939 Graves et a1 Patented June 12, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORCLARENCE B. HAEGERT ATTORNEYS Patented June 12, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG. 8.

FIG].-

INVENTOR CLARENCE B. HAEGERT ATTORNEYS BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION Many types of battery terminals are known in the priorart for attaching a battery cable to the terminal post of a storagebattery. Such prior art battery terminals are either relativelyexpensive to manufacture or do not have sufficient corrosion resistance,electrical conductivity and strength to perform satisfactorily under theconditions encountered when used with storage batteries. Prior artbattery terminals of the type which have a clamping body portion with abifurcated end having protruding clamping jaws thereon for receiving abolt to tighten the clamping body portion about a battery terminal postdo not uniformly engage the battery terminal post when the bolt istightened through the clamping jaws. Moreover, if the bolt is tightenedthrough the jaws sufficiently to make tight engagement between theclamping body portion and the battery terminal post, the jaws eitherbreak or bend, rendering the battery terminal useless. If the clampingbody portion does not uniformly engage the battery terminal post withsufficient pressure, spaces are left between the clamping body portionand the battery terminal post which are subject to corrosion and rapiddeterioration of the battery terminal, with the result that poorelectrical conductivity is established between the battery terminal andbattery terminal post.

Further, in prior art battery terminals, the means on the batteryterminal for connecting the battery terminal to a battery cable isjoined to the battery terminal in such manner that the clamping bodyportion of the battery terminal cannot yield uniformly about thecircumference thereof in order to achieve uniform contact between theclamping body portion and a battery terminal post.

The present invention provides a battery terminal which is constructedso that when a bolt is tightened through the clamping jaws thereof,pressure is exerted by the bolt on the rear portion of the jaws adjacentthe clamping body portion of the terminal to cause the clamping bodyportion to clamp or grip the battery terminal post more tightly thanprior art battery terminals. Further, by exerting pressure at the rearof the clamping jaws, the possibility of the jaws bending or breaking issubstantially eliminated.

The battery terminal according to the present invention is alsoconstructed such that the means for connecting the battery terminal to abattery cable is joined to the clamping body portion of the terminal insuch a manner that substantially the entire clamping body portion yieldswhen the bolt is tightened through the clamping jaws to thereby exertuniform and strong clamping pressure on a battery terminal post.

Still further, the battery terminal according to the present inventionis manufactured from materials which are more economical than prior artbattery terminals and which exhibit electrical conductivity, corrosionresistance and strength superior to prior art battery terminals.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide abattery terminal which is more economical and which has betterelectrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and strength than priorart battery terminals.

It is another object of this invention to provide a battery terminal forstorage batteries which is constructed so that tight and uniform contactis made between the clamping portion of the battery terminal and abattery terminal post.

A further object of this invention is to provide a battery terminal forstorage batteries which comprises a clamping body portion having abifurcated end with protruding clamping jaws thereon and with means onthe clamping jaws and clamping body portion for causing pressure to beexerted at the rear portion of the clamping jaws when a bolt is extendedtherethrough and tightened.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a battery terminalfor storage batteries wherein the battery terminal includes a clampingbody portion and a cable connecting portion for connecting a batterycable to the clamping body portion, said cable connecting portion andclamping body portion being joined in a manner to enable substantiallythe entire clamping body portion to yield when tightened on a batteryterminal post to insure uniform contact between the clamping bodyportion and the battery terminal post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective viewof a first form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery terminal shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation of the battery terminal shown in FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second form of battery terminal.

FIG. 5 is a side view in elevation of the battery terminal shown in FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a third form of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a fourth form of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of a fifth form of the invention; and,

FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of a sixth form of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings,wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral views, a battery terminal according to the present invention isindicated generally at l in FIG. 1 and comprises a clamping body portion2 having a circular opening 3 therethrough with a diameter Dsubstantially equal to the diameter of a positive battery terminal postand a bifurcated end 4 with a pair of outwardly protruding clamping jaws5 and 6 thereon. A battery cable connecting portion 7 is on the clampingbody portion 2 at the end thereof opposite the clamping jaws 5 and 6.The cable connecting portion 7 is substantially flat and includes a pairof oppositely directed ears 8 and 9 having internally threaded boltreceiving holes 10 and 11 therethrough, respectively. A longitudinallyextending groove or channel 12 is in the top surface of the cableconnecting portion 7 and extends across the width of the cableconnecting portion in a direction perpendicular to a line drawn throughthe bolt receiving holes 10 and 11.

A cable clamping plate 13 is positioned on top of the cable connectingportion 7 for clamping a cable C between the clamping plate and cableconnecting portion. A pair of bolt receptive holes 14 and 15 extendthrough the opposite ends of the clamping plate 13 for receiving a pairof bolts 16 and 17 which are threaded into holes 10 and 11 to securelyclamp the cable C between the plate 13 and cable connecting portion 7. Apair of dimples or projections 18 and 19 are formed in the clampingplate 13 in alignment with the channel 12 across the cable connectingportion 7. The clamping plate 13 is normally disposed in the positionshown in FIG. 1 with the dimples 18 and 19 directed upwardly, as forexample, when a relatively large diameter cable C is used with thebattery terminal; however, in the event a relatively small diametercable C is used with the battery terminal, the plate 13 can be invertedor turned upside down with the dimples l8 and 19 projecting into thechannel 12 to effect a secure gripping of the small diameter cable C.

A downwardly extending flange or wall 20 is on the forward edge of cableconnecting portion 7 and a relatively thin connecting wall or web 21joins the lower edge of clamping body 2 with the lower edge of wall 20.As seen best in FIG. 3, the thickness t of connecting wall 21 issubstantially less than the thickness T of the clamping body portion 2,and is also not as thick as the cable clamping portion. Accordingly,substantially all of the clamping body portion 2 is free to yield orstretch around a battery terminal post when the clamping jaws 5 and 6are drawn toward one another.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clamping jaws S and 6 have alignedbolt receptive holes 22 and 23 therethrough, respectively, for receivinga bolt 24 therethrough having a head 25 on one end thereof and a nut 26threaded onto the other end thereof. The holes 22 and 23- are throughthe rear of the clamping jaws 5 and 6 immediately adjacent the circularopening 3 through the clamping body portion 2. The outer surface 27 israised at the rear of the clamping jaw 5. Accordingly, when nut 26 istightened onto bolt 24, it first engages the surface 27 at the rear ofclamping jaw S to exert force on the clamping jaw 5 at the rear thereofas indicated by the arrow A. This force is actually directed along aline spaced inwardly of the circumference of opening 3, so that when thenut 26 is tightened, the clamping body 2 yields to securely anduniformly engage a battery terminal post and there is no danger ofbending or breaking the clamping jaw 5.

A ledge 28 is formed at the rear of clamping jaw 6 in underlyingrelationship to one side of the head 25 of bolt 24 so that the head 25engages the ledge 28 to exert pressure at the rear of clamping jaw 6 asindicated by the arrow B. The force exerted on ledge 28 is insubstantial alignment with the force exerted on surface 27 of clampingjaw 5 and is also directed along a line spaced inwardly of thecircumference of opening 3 in clamping body portion 2 so that when thenut 26 is tightened on the bolt and the head 25 engages ledge 28, theclamping body portion 2 yields to securely and uniformly grip a batteryterminal post received through the opening 3. A shoulder 29 is formedadjacent ledge 28 and extends perpendicularly therefrom and serves as astop for the head 25 to prevent the bolt 24 from turning when the nut 26is tightened thereon.

The clamping jaws 5 and 6 have their inner surfaces 30 and 31 tapered orflared outwardly toward the free ends thereof so that the batteryterminal 1 can be placed on either a positive battery terminal post or anegative battery terminal post, the flared surfaces 30 and 31 preventingthe clamping jaws 5 and 6 from engaging one another at their free endswhen the battery terminal is used on a negative battery terminal post,which is smaller in diameter than the positive battery terminal post.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, a second form of the invention isillustrated and is identical in every respect with that form of theinvention illustrated and described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3except that a pair of relatively thin webs or flanges 32 and 33 are onopposite edges of connecting wall 21 and extend between clamping bodyportion 2 and wall 20 on the cable connecting portion 7. The webs 32 and33 taper to a reduced thickness at their upper edges 34 and 35,respectively, and offer no resistance to yielding of the clamping bodyportion 2 when it is securely clamped about a battery terminal post. Inall other respects, the construction and operation of this form of theinvention is the same as the first form of the invention describedhereinabove.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 10, third, fourth, fifth and sixthforms of the invention are illustrated, and each of these forms of theinvention is substantially identical to the form of the inventionillustrated and described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 with theexception of the cable connecting part which is different in each ofthese forms of the invention.

In FIG. 7, a generally tubular, solder type cable connecting part 36 isconnected with the clamping body portion 2 at substantially right anglesthereto by means of connecting wall 21 which extends from the lower edgeof clamping body portion 2 to the side of tubular cable connecting part36. An opening or bore 37 is formed through one end of the tubular cableconnecting part 36 for receiving a cable C. In use, solder is placed inthe opening 37 in a conventional manner, and the end of cable C isinserted into the opening37 for making a secure electrical connectiontherebetween.

In FIG. 8, a split cylinder, crimp type cable connecting part 38 isconnected to the clamping body portion 2 by the connecting wall 21 atsubstantially a right angle to the clamping body portion 2 in a mannersubstantially identical to the form of the invention illustrated in FIG.7. A longitudinally extending opening 39 is formed through the splitcylinder 38 and one side of the cylinder 38 has a longitudinallyextending slot 40 therein permitting the opposite sides 41 and 42 of thesplit cylinder 38 to yield toward and away from one another in orderthat a cable C may be inserted into the opening 39 therethrough, and theopposite sides 41 and 42 crimped securely about the cable C to effect agood electrical connection therebetween.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 9 is substantiallyidentical with that form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7 in thata tubular cable connecting part 36' such as the cable connecting part 36is joined to the clamping body portion 2 by means of connecting wall 21extending between the bottom edge of clamping body portion 2 and one endof tubular cable connecting part 36. An opening 37 is formed in one endof the cable connecting part 36' for receiving a cable C, which is thensoldered therein, as in the FIG. 7 embodiment.

In FIG. 10, a strap type cable connector 43 is joined at one end thereofwith the clamping body portion 2 by connecting wall 21 and issubstantially rectangular in cross section. A rectangular opening 44 isformed in the other end of the connector 43 for receiving a strap typecable C. The cable C is soldered in the cable connecting part 43 similarto the FIGS. 7 and 9 embodiments.

Each of the hereinabove described battery terminals may be manufacturedfrom any suitable material compatable with the environment in which theyare intended to be used, such as brass or lead, but each of the batteryterminals is preferably made from one of the following alloys whichexhibit electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and strengthsuperior to conventional battery terminal materials. Moreover, thefollowing alloys are more economical and durable than conventionalbattery terminal materials.

COPPER BASE ALLOYSM form their functional as well as conjointlycooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by thoseclaims.

I claim:

1. A bifurcated, flexible battery terminal clamp for storage batteries,comprising a pair of spaced apart, substantially similar clamping jawsdefining a battery terminal post receiving circular opening therebetweenand having protruding ends thereon, aligned bolt means receivingopenings through the protruding ends of said jaws, a thin, flexible webintegral with a bottom portion of the jaws opposite the alignedopenings, and a cable clamping means integral with the web and connectedwith said jaws by said web, said web being thinner than said cableclamping means and said web providing a space between the jaws and thecable clamping means enabling said jaws to uniformly flex about abattery terminal post received in said circular opening and Brass andManganese Aluminum Silicon Copperbronze bronze bronze nickel Aluminumingot, ingot, ingot, ingot, ingot,

percent percent percent percent 55.0 to 68.0 Remainder... Remainder....Up to 8.0. Upto 1.5 Up to 2.0.... 1.5 to 5.5 Up to 7.7.

Up to 1.5 Up to 1.0 Up to Remainder. Up to 16.0"... 4.0 to 120.... Up to8.0 Up to Up to 6.0 9.0 to 82.0 Up to 2.3 Up to Up to 2.5."... Up to1.8... Up to 2 0. Up to Up to 015 1.0 to 5.5 Up to 0.70..... Up to 13.0.Up to 8 5 to 12 0.. Up to 1.5 Remainder. Antimony. Up to Phosphorous. Upto Sulfur Up to Manganese. Magnesium T1tanium.. Chromium ZINC BASEALLOYS to securely removably fix said battery terminal clamp on saidbatter terminal ost when said bolt means is Mineral Example I Example llExample I" SAE 903 y p ingot tightened through said aws. lumimlm gig-23; 2. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein opper up to up to.10 Magnesium .0231 O said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.9 to4.3 Iron up to .075 up to .100 up to .075 up to .075 40 percentaluminum, about 0.75 to 1.25 percent copper, Lead up to .003 up to .007up to .003 up to .004 r n m Q07 Cadmium up to .003 up to .005 up to .003up to .003 about to 006 pa Ce t agneslum up to 5 Tin up w up to up to302 up to .002 percent iron, up to 0.003 percent lead, up to 0.003 per-Zinc remainder remainder remainder remainder cent cadmium up to 0002percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being byweight of the composition.

Although battery terminals manufactured from the above alloys exhibitcorrosion resistance superior to conventional battery terminals, theymay be plated with a further protective material, if desired, in orderto resist the corrosive atmosphere encountered when the batteryterminals are used with storage batteries in automobiles, trucks,tractors and the like. The battery terminals which are made fromthe-copper base alloys may beplated with either lead, chrome, nickel,zinc or cadmium, and the zinc base alloys are preferably plated withcadmium with a trichloroethylene solution.

The presence of magnesium in some of the alloys listed above isimportant in that it prevents intergranular corrosion.

The percentages of the various minerals in each of the above alloys maybe varied slightly without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than bythe description preceding them, and all changes that fall within themetes and bounds of the claims or that 3. A battery terminal clamp as inclaim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.5 to 4.5percent aluminum, about 2.5 to 3.5 percent copper, 0.02 to 0.10 percentmagnesium, about 0.lO0 percent iron, about 0.007 percent lead, about0.005" percent cadmium, about 0.005 percent tin, the balance being zinc,all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

4. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminalclamp comprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum, about 0.]0 percentcopper, about 0.3 to 0.6 percent magnesium, about 0.075 percent iron,about 0.003 percent lead, about 0.003 percent cadmium, about 0.002percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being byweight of the composition.

5. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminalclamp comprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum, about 0.10 percentcopper, about 0.025 to 0.05 percent magnesium, about 0.075 percent iron,about 0.004 percent lead, about 0.003 percent cadmium, about 0.002percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being byweight of the composition.

6. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminalclamp comprises about 60.0 to 95.0 percent copper, up to 20.0 percenttin, up to 27.0 percent lead, up to 17.0 percent zinc, up to 1.0 percentnickel, up to 0.75 percent iron, up to 0.05 percent silicon, up to 0.05percent aluminum, up to 0.75 percent antimony, up to 1.0 percentphosphorous, up to 0.25 percent sulfur, all percentages being by weightof 'the composition.

7. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminalclamp comprises about 55.0 to 68.0 percent copper, up to 1.5 percenttin, up to 1.5 percent lead, up to 1.0 percent nickel, up to 5.0 percentiron, up to 0.10 percent silicon, up to 7.5 percent aluminum, up to 0.05percent antimony, up to 0.005 percent phosphorous, up to 0.05 percentsulfur, up to 5.0 percent manganese, the balance being zinc, all of saidpercentages being by weight of the composition.

8. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminalclamp comprises a minimum of 78.0 percent copper, up to 0.20 percenttin, up to 0.05 percent lead, up to 0.30 percent zinc, up to 6.0 percentnickel, about 0.75 to 6.0 percent iron up to 0.15 percent silicon, about8.5 to 12.0 percent aluminum, up to 0.01 percent antimony, up to 0.005percent phosphorous, up to 0.05 percent sulfur, up to 3.5 percentmanganese, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

9. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminalclamp comprises up to 2.0 percent tin, up to 1.0 percent lead, up to16.0 percent zinc, up to 2.5 percent iron, about 1.0 to 5.5 percentsilicon, up to 1.5 percent aluminum, up to 1.5 percent manganese, thebalance being copper, all of said percentages being by weight of thecomposition.

10. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said batteryterminal clamp comprises about 1.5 to 5.5 percent tin, about 4.0 to 12.0percent zinc, about 9.0 to 32.0 percent nickel, up to 1.8 percent iron,up to 0.70 percent silicon, up to 0.35 percent antimony, up to 0.05percent phosphorous, up to 1.5 percent sulfur, up to 1.5 percentmanganese, the balance being copper, all of said percentages being byweight of the composition.

11. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said batteryterminal clamp comprises up to 8.0 percent copper, up to 7.7 percenttin, up to 8.0 percent zinc, up to 2.3 percent nickel, up to 2.0 percentiron, up to 13.0 percent silicon, up to 0.80 percent manganese, up to10.6 percent magnesium, up to 0.25 percent titanium, up to 0.6 percentchromium, the balance being aluminum, all of said percentages being byweight of the composition.

12. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein means are on saidclamping jaws for causing pressure to be exerted on said clamping jawsat the rear of said protruding ends when said bolt is extended throughsaid clamping jaws and tightened.

13. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 12, wherein said means forcausing pressure to be exerted on the clamping jaws at the rear of saidprotruding ends comprises a ledge on at least one said clamping jaw atthe rear of said protruding end adjacent the bolt means receivingopening through said jaw, said ledge being disposed substantially inline with the circumference of the battery terminal post receivingopening between said clamping jaws.

14. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 13, wherein a shoulder is onsaid clamping jaws adjacent said ledge and extends perpendicularly tosaid ledge, said shoulder forming a stop for the head of said bolt toprevent said bolt from turning when a nut is tightened thereon.

15. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 14, wherein the outer surfaceof the other said protruding end is tapered from the free end toward therear end thereof to provide an increased thickness at the rear end ofsaid other protruding end so that the edge of a nut tightened on a boltreceived through said clamping jaws engages the rear of said otherprotruding end to exert pressure thereon in substantial alignment withthe ledge on the opposite clamping jaw.

16. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 15 wherein the inner facingsurfaces of said protruding ends taper or flare outwardly toward thefree end thereof to provide clearance when said clamping jaws are drawntoward one another by tightening a bolt extended therethrough.

17. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clampingmeans comprises a relatively flat portion having oppositely extendingears thereon, internally threaded bolt receiving holes in said ears, asubstantially flat clamping plate disposed in overlying relationship tosaid flat portion and having a pair of openings therethrough inalignment with said threaded openings, and bolt means extending throughsaid openings in said clamping plate into said threaded openings in saidflat portion for securely clamping a cable between said clamping plateand said flat portion.

18. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clampingmeans comprises a tubular member joined to said clamping jaws atsubstantially a right angle thereto, said tubular portion having anopening in one end thereof for receiving a cable.

19. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clampingmeans comprises a split cylinder having a longitudinally extending slotin one side thereof for enabling the opposite sides of said splitcylinder to be urged toward and away from one another to securely clampa cable therein.

20. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clampingmeans comprises a tubular member joined at one end to said clamping jawsand having an opening in the other end thereof for receiving a cable.

21. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clampingmeans comprises a relatively flat substantially rectangular memberhaving a rectangular opening in one end thereof and joined to theclamping jaws at the other end thereof.

1. A bifurcated, flexible battery terminal clamp for storage batteries,comprising a pair of spaced apart, substantially similar clamping jawsdefining a battery terminal post receiving circular opening therebetweenand having protruding ends thereon, aligned bolt means receivingopenings through the protruding ends of said jaws, a thin, flexible webintegral with a bottom portion of the jaws opposite the alignedopenings, and a cable clamping means integral with the web and connectedwith said jaws by said web, said web being thinner than said cableclamping means and said web providing a space between the jaws and thecable clamping means enabling said jaws to uniformly flex about abattery terminal post received in said circular opening and to securelyremovably fix said battery terminal clamp on said battery terminal postwhen said bolt means is tightened through said jaws.
 2. A batteryterminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clampcomprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum, about 0.75 to 1.25 percentcopper, about 0.03 to 0.06 percent magnesium, up to 0.075 percent iron,up to 0.003 percent lead, up to 0.003 percent cadmium, up to 0.002percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being byweight of the composition.
 3. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1,wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.5 to 4.5 percentaluminum, about 2.5 to 3.5 percent copper, 0.02 to 0.10 percentmagnesium, about 0.100 percent iron, about 0.007 percent lead, about0.005 percent cadmium, about 0.005 percent tin, the balance being zinc,all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.
 4. A batteryterminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clampcomprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum, about 0.10 percent copper,about 0.3 to 0.6 percent magnesium, about 0.075 percent iron, about0.003 percent lead, about 0.003 percent cadmium, about 0.002 percenttin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight ofthe composition.
 5. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein saidbattery terminal clamp comprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum,about 0.10 percent copper, about 0.025 to 0.05 percent magnesium, about0.075 percent iron, about 0.004 percent lead, about 0.003 percentcadmium, about 0.002 percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of saidpercentages being by weight of the composition.
 6. A battery terminalclamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about60.0 to 95.0 percent copper, up to 20.0 percent tin, up to 27.0 percentlead, up to 17.0 percent zinc, up to 1.0 percent nickel, up to 0.75percent iron, up to 0.05 percent silicon, up to 0.05 percent aluminum,up to 0.75 percent antimony, up to 1.0 percent phosphorous, up to 0.25percent sulfur, all percentages being by weight of the composition.
 7. Abattery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminalclamp comprises about 55.0 to 68.0 percent copper, up to 1.5 percenttin, up to 1.5 percent lead, up to 1.0 percent nickel, up to 5.0 percentiron, up to 0.10 percent silicon, up to 7.5 percent aluminum, up to 0.05percent antimony, up to 0.005 percent phosphorous, up to 0.05 percentsulfur, up to 5.0 percent manganese, the balance being zinc, all of saidpercentages being by weight of the composition.
 8. A battery terminalclamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises aminimum of 78.0 percent copper, up to 0.20 percent tin, up to 0.05percent lead, up to 0.30 percent zinc, up to 6.0 percent nickel, about0.75 to 6.0 percent iron up to 0.15 percent silicon, about 8.5 to 12.0percent aluminum, up to 0.01 percent antimony, up to 0.005 percentphosphorous, up to 0.05 percent sulfur, up to 3.5 percent manganese, allof said percentages being by weight of the composition.
 9. A batteryterminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clampcomprises up to 2.0 percent tin, up to 1.0 percent lead, up to 16.0percent zinc, up to 2.5 percent iron, about 1.0 to 5.5 percent silicon,up to 1.5 percent aluminum, up to 1.5 percent manganese, the balancebeing copper, all of said percentages being by weight of thecomposition.
 10. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein saidbattery terminal clamp comprises about 1.5 to 5.5 percent tin, about 4.0to 12.0 percent zinc, about 9.0 to 32.0 percent nickel, up to 1.8percent iron, up to 0.70 percent silicon, up to 0.35 percent antimony,up to 0.05 percent phosphorous, up to 1.5 percent sulfur, up to 1.5percent manganese, the balance being copper, all of said percentagesbeing by weight of the composition.
 11. A battery terminal clamp as inclaim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises up to 8.0 percentcopper, up to 7.7 percent tin, up to 8.0 percent zinc, up to 2.3 percentnickel, up to 2.0 percent iron, up to 13.0 percent silicon, up to 0.80percent manganese, up to 10.6 percent magnesium, up to 0.25 percenttitanium, up to 0.6 percent chromium, the balance being aluminum, all ofsaid percentages being by weight of the composition.
 12. A batteryterminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein means are on said clamping jawsfor causing pressure to be exerted on said clamping jaws at the rear ofsaid protruding ends when said bolt is extended through said clampingjaws and tightened.
 13. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 12, whereinsaid means for causing pressure to be exerted on the clamping jaws atthe rear of said protruding ends comprises a ledge on at least one saidclamping jaw at the rear of said protruding end adjacent the bolt meansreceiving opening through said jaw, said ledge being disposedsubstantially in line with the circumference of thE battery terminalpost receiving opening between said clamping jaws.
 14. A batteryterminal clamp as in claim 13, wherein a shoulder is on said clampingjaws adjacent said ledge and extends perpendicularly to said ledge, saidshoulder forming a stop for the head of said bolt to prevent said boltfrom turning when a nut is tightened thereon.
 15. A battery terminalclamp as in claim 14, wherein the outer surface of the other saidprotruding end is tapered from the free end toward the rear end thereofto provide an increased thickness at the rear end of said otherprotruding end so that the edge of a nut tightened on a bolt receivedthrough said clamping jaws engages the rear of said other protruding endto exert pressure thereon in substantial alignment with the ledge on theopposite clamping jaw.
 16. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 15wherein the inner facing surfaces of said protruding ends taper or flareoutwardly toward the free end thereof to provide clearance when saidclamping jaws are drawn toward one another by tightening a bolt extendedtherethrough.
 17. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein saidcable clamping means comprises a relatively flat portion havingoppositely extending ears thereon, internally threaded bolt receivingholes in said ears, a substantially flat clamping plate disposed inoverlying relationship to said flat portion and having a pair ofopenings therethrough in alignment with said threaded openings, and boltmeans extending through said openings in said clamping plate into saidthreaded openings in said flat portion for securely clamping a cablebetween said clamping plate and said flat portion.
 18. A batteryterminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clamping meanscomprises a tubular member joined to said clamping jaws at substantiallya right angle thereto, said tubular portion having an opening in one endthereof for receiving a cable.
 19. A battery terminal clamp as in claim16, wherein said cable clamping means comprises a split cylinder havinga longitudinally extending slot in one side thereof for enabling theopposite sides of said split cylinder to be urged toward and away fromone another to securely clamp a cable therein.
 20. A battery terminalclamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clamping means comprises atubular member joined at one end to said clamping jaws and having anopening in the other end thereof for receiving a cable.
 21. A batteryterminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clamping meanscomprises a relatively flat substantially rectangular member having arectangular opening in one end thereof and joined to the clamping jawsat the other end thereof.